The BBC has published its Commissioning Report for 2025/26, showing how it invested £1.5 billion in original TV content, working with 310 independent TV production companies across the UK, reinforcing its role as the single largest investor in the creative sector.
The BBC has reaffirmed its committment to double its investment on content reflecting Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to more than £100 million by 2027/28.
Over the past year, investment outside London remained a key focus, with 59% of network TV commissioning spend in the Nations and English regions, while almost 70% of network TV hours qualified as regional productions, exceeding the BBC’s quota of 50%. Radio commissioning also continued to grow outside the capital, with 45.8% of network radio commissioning spend in the Nations and English regions.
The BBC also expanded its partnerships in the West Midlands and the North East. It remains on track to meet its ambition of having 40% of network TV commissioners based outside London by 2027.
Kate Phillips, BBC Chief Content Officer, says: “This year saw exceptional audience successes, demonstrating the BBC’s continued commitment to homegrown storytelling and reflecting the breadth of the UK. Our distinctive content helped the BBC account for 20% of all identified viewing, with audiences spending more time with the BBC than with any other platform. These results show the vital role the BBC continues to play in the UK’s creative sector.”
Across content, the BBC also exceeded its annual £80m creative diversity spend commitment for TV and Radio, investing £196m of existing commissioning budget in content that met creative diversity criteria. And through its Diversity Development Fund, the BBC invested more than £2 million to support over 100 people in mid- to senior-level production roles across the UK.
The full report can be viewed on the BBC Commissioning website.
Pippa Considine
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